Overview

• NHS hospitals have recorded a near 30% increase in carbapenem-resistant infections, linked to complications from surgeries performed abroad.
• Social media marketing and long NHS waiting times are driving thousands of UK patients to seek low-cost cosmetic and weight-loss surgeries overseas, particularly in Turkey and Eastern Europe.
• Nurses and MPs are urging foreign providers to carry mandatory insurance to cover NHS costs for treating complications from poorly regulated procedures.
• Fatalities and severe complications, including necrotic wounds, sepsis, and superbug infections, have been reported, with some surgeries conducted in unregulated settings like Airbnbs and living rooms.
• Health Secretary Wes Streeting has warned against the risks of medical tourism, emphasizing the strain it places on NHS resources and public health.